Air circulating insole



April 25, 1967 R. D. ESTANDIAN AIR CIRCULATING INSOLE Filed OCt. lO. 1965 3,315,379 Patented Apr. 25, 1967 3,315,379 AIR CIRCULATING INSOLE Ramon D. Estandian, 482 Sanchez St., San Francisco, Calif. 94114 Filed Oct. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 585,587 2 Claims. (Cl. 36-3) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE portion for limiting the flow of air from the heel to the toe of the insole.

This invention relates to insoles for shoes, and particularly to an insole which may be inserted in a shoe in order to attain a forced and controlled circulation of air around the sock of the foot of a wearer.

The average shoe is a common cause of foot illness and discomfort because the foot nearly always perspires in the conventional closed toe shoe. While some ventilation is afforded by the natural porosity of the leather in shoes, the prevalence' of the skin disease known as Athletes Foot is evidence of the fact that in most shoes ventilation is wholly inadequate. `Even with a shoe having a perforated upper and the use of various kinds of foot powders this problem is only partially met. It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide an air circulating insole which will continually supply fresh air to the toe areas most likely to be affected, and which is of such construction that it may be inserted in the ordinary shoe without substantial reduction in the space available for foot accommodation.

A more specific object `of this invention resides in the provision of an air circulating insole constructed and arranged to take fresh air in at the heel end of the shoe and discharge it uniformly at spaced points between the toes of a wearer.

A further object -of the invention is to provide a unitary insole construction of inexpensive material which will afford comfort to the foot and may be readily kept clean and fresh.

In its more specific aspects, the insole of this invention includes provision for a heel cushion with intake and discharge valves specially arranged to admit and discharge air in an efficient manner without the possibility of discomfort to the user.

An additional object of this invention is attained by providing an insole of novel construction which is relatively thin and has a minimum space requirement so that it can be used without discomfort in a properly fitted shoe.

Other objects and advantages will be in part evident to those skilled in the art and in part pointed out hereinafter in the accompanying description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a complete insole,

FIGURE 2 is a View looking down on the insole with its top portion removed,

IFIGURES 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views showing details of a valve arrangement, and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view showing an air circling element suitable for an average insole.

For a detailed description of the invention reference is now made to the accompanying drawing wherein the numeral 10 designates generally an insole constructed in accordance with the invention. The insole 10 as here shown has an upper layer portion 11 and a lower layer portion .12 between which there is located a pneumatic cushion and air circulating means I13 of novel construction. The upper layer 11 of the insole may be of any suitable material preferably leather of a suitable plastic, fibrous or other material having suitable properties may be used. The lower 12 likewise may be of any one of the above materials but should preferably be of a less pliable character. These portions 11 and 12 have an outline substantially conforming with the inner sole of a shoe with which the invention is to be used.

In FIGURE 2 there is shown an insole for the left foot with the upper layer portion 11 removed. It will be understood that the right foot insole will be similar, but right` hand in configuration. The pneumatic air circulating member 13 has an elongated heel portion 14 that extends down to a point approaching the instep of a shoe and as shown this portion has an air intake opening 15 that is adapted and arranged to be covered by the heel of a wearer when the insole is installed. The heel portion 14 is reduced in size at its instep end as at 16 for insertion into a somewhat more elastic portion 17 that is arranged so as to lie under the forward or ball portion of a foot. At this point it should be observed that the insole layer portions 11 and 12, take the form of the interior of a shoe whereas the pneumatic air circulating member 13 is dimensioned in outline more in accordance with the surface contacting area of a normal human foot, therefore there is provided an air space within the shoe completely surrounding the heel portion 14 and the forward portion 17 of tbe air circulating member 13.

As is more clearly indicated in FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawing the heel portion of the pneumatic air circulating member 13 is of relatively less flexible material than is the more elastic portion 17. If the pneumatic air circulating member 13 is constructed of vulcanized rubber which, it is believed to a preferable material, the heel portion 14 will be so formed that it will inherently maintain an expanded air accommodating cavity therein. With this construction it will be seen that when the air intake valve 15 is closed, pressure by the heel of a wearer will close this valve 15 and the air therein be forced outwardly throughout the reduced area 16 and into the more elastic portion 17 of the member 13. This latter portion 17 will preferably be of rubber or the like having the limp character of a conventional toy balloon through which the injected air will exhaust through opening 18 at the forward end thereof.

As stated above the heel portion 14 of the air circulating member 13 will be of moulded construction so as to maintain under all normal conditions an air collecting chamber therein. At its forward end as indicated 19 this portion will be fiattened out to provide a fairly tight opening at its instep end toform a -one-way valve forming opening 20 through which air in the heel portion 14 will exhaust into the more flexible forward portion 17 as the heel of wearer in walking closes the valve .15 and compresses the heel portion 14. This action will force the air intermittently through the valve slit 20 in a normal heel and toe operation. At the same time the slit-like valve means 19 will prevent the injected air from flowing back into the heel portion 14. As a result the air ejected from the heel portion 14 will ow through `the sole portion 17 and exhaust into the shoe and about the area, provided between the upper and lower layers 11 and i12 of the insole 10.

In closing and with particular reference to: FIGURE 5 of the drawing, it may be stated that .the pneumatic air circulating means 13 may take the form of two balloonlike elements 13 and 17 |which are sealed together in .telescoping relation at their meeting ends to provide for the intermediate valve end 19 and form an arrangement wherein the air accumulated in the heel portion 13 may be periodically pumped or forced into the more flexible portion or balloon-like portion 17 in such a manner that the valve means 19 will provide for a one-way iiovv of the circulating air which will be eventually exhausted through the opening or openings 18 at the extreme toe end of the assembly.

Instead of forming the pneumatic air circulating means 13 as shown in FIGURE 2 the object of the invention may be accomplished with the two balloon-like portions 14 and `17 conforming in outline more to the configuration of the inner sole of the shoe and used with or 'without the upper and lower portions 11 and 12 as shown in FIGURE 1. In this manner the entire insole will be formed of a suitable material and in a manner which will position the two balloon-like -members over substantially the entire area of the insole of a shoe with which they are to be used.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to -disclose my invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated a specific form and arrangement, I desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific form disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described m-y invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cushioned air circulating insole for footwear with the configuration of lthe insole of a conventional shoe, comprising a laminated structure `having an upper layer as a foot engaging surface, a bottom layer for -contact with the insole surface of a shoe, an air circulating means disposed between sad upper and lower layers consisting of two elastomeric elements connected together in coextending heel and toe relationship, a check valve disposed at the point of connection between said elastomeric elements adapted and arranged to limit the passage of air in one direction from the heel to the toe forming elastomeric element, characterized lby the fact that the elastomeric elements are in the form of two opposed and connected balloonlike members of rubber in which .the elastomeric heel forming element isinherently expandable and has an open air inlet port that is intermittently opened and closed by the heel of a wearer in walking and the toe forming elastomeric element is of limp inflateable construction with an opening for the exhaust of air at the toe end thereof.

2. The invention as set forth in claim y1, characterized bythe fact that said check valve is in the form a flattened extension of heel forming element with a normally closed slit-like opening adapted and arranged to permit the passage of air in one direction from the heel to the toe portion of the insole when in use.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,504,908 8/1924 Sato 36-3 X 2,604,707 7/ 195.2 Hicks 36-3 3,225,463 12/1965 Burnham 36-3 FOREIGN PATENTS 822,801 1 l/ 1951 Germany.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CUSHIONED AIR CIRCULATING INSOLE FOR FOOTWEAR WITH THE CONFIGURATION OF THE INSOLE OF A CONVENTIONAL SHOE, COMPRISING A LAMINATED STRUCTURE HAVING AN UPPER LAYER AS A FOOT ENGAGING SURFACE, A BOTTOM LAYER FOR CONTACT WITH THE INSOLE SURFACE OF A SHOE, AN AIR CIRCULATING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER LAYERS CONSISTING OF TWO ELASTOMERIC ELEMENTS CONNECTED TOGETHER IN COEXTENDING HEEL AND TOE RELATIONSHIP, A CHECK VALVE DISPOSED AT THE POINT OF CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID ELASTOMERIC ELEMENTS ADAPTED AND ARRANGED TO LIMIT THE PASSAGE OF AIR IN ONE DIRECTION FROM THE HEEL TO THE TOE FORMING ELASTOMERIC ELEMENT, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT THE ELASTOMERIC ELEMENTS ARE IN THE FORM OF TWO OPPOSED AND CONNECTED BALLOON-LIKE MEMBERS OF RUBER IN WHICH THE 